Richard Theodore "Rick" Crosby

On Sunday, October 30th, 2022, Richard Theodore “Rick” Crosby, 61, went home to be with his Lord. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 PM, Thursday, November 3, 2022 at Trinity Presbyterian Church with Rev. Rick Wheeler officiating. Interment will follow in Old Purity Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM at the church. Ricky, as he was known to his family, was born on April 10, 1961, in Chester, SC. He was named in honor of his maternal Grandfather Theodore Mullis, a giant of a man, whom we all loved dearly and called Papa. Ricky was a 1979 graduate of Chester Senior High School. He was a former employee of Zenith Engraving Company, the South Carolina Highway Department, and Dean Trucking Company. He loved hunting and fishing and oh yes... those Clemson Tigers! But above all, he cherished his family and his church. Although Ricky’s death was sudden and unexpected, his family finds great comfort in knowing that when Ricky passed, he had put his faith in Jesus. He had returned to the church of his childhood, Trinity Presbyterian Church, where its members welcomed him with open arms, becoming his cherished extended family in Christ. Ricky never ceased to sing their praises. When Covid found its way to our nation, the absolute hardest thing for Ricky was not being able to physically go inside the church at Trinity every Sunday morning to hear his pastor, Rick Wheeler, preach God’s Word. Being there in person meant everything to Ricky. When Ricky once mentioned he was starting to go to church again, and was asked which church, he answered “Trinity, of course”, adding “that’s the only church I know, and I know Jesus can be found there.” Ricky would often tell the story about how he would try to sleep at night, but instead of sleeping, he would recall everything about that church from the time he was a toddler. We are so grateful to Trinity for welcoming Ricky back and for being there for him in the last days of his life. Being able to drive by Old Purity Cemetery where our parents are buried, and then by Trinity Presbyterian Church where we all attended so many years ago, helped Ricky rekindle those many precious memories that gave him the solace he so desperately needed, soothing the emptiness that often follows the loss of one’s parents. When our mother passed away in December of 2018, Rick wrote the following, “I feel so lost and alone since our parents are no longer on this earth. I drive by the cemetery every day. I remember mother holding my hand as we walked along the path beside the hospital on our way to Sunday School and Church at Trinity. Oh…and by the way…Mother was radiant! I am lost without her! I’m really in a bad way. I just hope y’all will pray for me. Mother always did the right thing. She took us to church. She held my hand. I was just a small boy. But she was my rock. And I was her Rick." It is comforting to know that Ricky is now in Heaven with God, his knees are no longer hurting him, his heart is completely healed, and once again, he can reach out for and hold onto our dear mother’s loving hand. Ricky cherished his family with all his heart and never tired of relating stories about his children and his grandchildren, each of which most often ended with the words, “I sure do love those kids!" Ricky is survived by his daughter, Jessica Lauren Crosby, and his grandson McRae and by his son Richard Tyler Crosby (Hannah) and his grandsons Chandler and Matthew, along with his granddaughters Lanie, Kennedy, and Bailey. He is also survived by his siblings and their spouses: Debbie Crosby Jennings (Gary), Charleen Crosby Collins (Jack), Byron Crosby (Marlene), and Pat Crosby Foster (Larry), along with his many nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews: Lori Anne Jennings; Keith Jennings (Claire); Heather Jennings Terry (Matt) and his great nephews: Evan, Nathan, Finley and Keenan Terry; Paul Collins (Sherrie) and great niece Emma KayLynn Collins; Matthew Collins; Eric Collins (Afi) and great nephew Reagan Crosby Collins; Julie Foster Morton (Steve), great nephew, Matthew Logan Foster (Cheyenne), great great niece-to-be, Opal Layne and great niece Abigail Rose Carpenter. Ricky was preceded in death by his parents Charlie Coleman Crosby and Agee Gregory Crosby. Memorials may be made to Trinity Presbyterian Church, 651 Great Falls Hwy, Chester, SC 29706. Online condolences may be made to the family at www.barronfuneralhome.com.